Navy father surprises son under Darth Vader mask

By

Erin Tennant

A five-year-old boy play-fighting Darth Vader during his Star Wars-themed birthday party got a welcome surprise when his opponent took off his mask to reveal himself as his father – a US Navy reservist not expected home until Christmas.

Justin Whyte, 33, secretly returned from training in California to his family's home in Kansas in time for his son Aiden's birthday in May.

"My son was turning five and my husband was not supposed to be home," Susie Whyte, 31, told ABCNews.com.

"My kids were told over and over we won't see him until Christmas.

"We snuck my husband home from the airport. My son asked about doing the Darth Vader bit, and he thought it was his older cousin, who is 13 and very tall."